Seven members (me + Maggie, Tony, Hilary, Sharon & Brody and Celia) plus guest Richard headed off to Heyshott Common yesterday. It was a lovely still evening, and we had a short walk before the 9.30 etc (estimated time of churring). In that time we had seen a Yellowhammer singing on top of a tree, had brief snatches of Woodlark and Tree Pipit and listened to a Dartford Warbler singing for at least 10 minutes. Good views of a Roe Deer in the evening light too.
Bang on time the objects of the outing started churring, and we all managed to get at least two views of a female in flight – whether two females or one female twice we couldn’t be sure.
First encounter with this special place and magical birds for some of the group, and the first in their natural habitat for Richard, who had only previously seen one resting in his conservatory gutter last August!
However the highlight for me was the roding Woodcock, the first I’ve seen there in the past few years.